The best advice my mum gave me: Kathy Fray, author

“The best piece advice my mum gave me was: “Don’t marry a man until he’s at least 25yrs – they don’t know their own mind before 25.” 
– Kathy Fray, author
I followed that advice. My fiancé was almost 26yrs when we got married (we’d been together 5 years).


We’re now both 53yrs and still happily married – I think she must have been right!!

This advice was kindly shared with us by Kathy Fray, best-selling & award-winning Maternity writer.

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💝 Gifts For The Best Mum EVER! 🎁

Gifts for the best mum, EVER…

In my grandmother’s kitchen, hung a decorative ceramic plate that said, “A good example is the best teacher”. It took me a very long time to fully grasp what this meant. As time went by, I realised that virtues such as kindness, honesty, patience, (as well as many more) had been instilled in me not through years of schooling, but by watching my grandma and my mother practice what they preached, year after year, after year. Setting a positive example for our children all the time is much harder than it appears (especially at the end of a long day), but it’s what we aspire to as parents. This year I encourage you to take a moment and think of the lessons you learned from your mum, not by being ‘taught’, but simply by following her example. 

Whilst we specialise in quality gifts for men, we try to source special gifts that are versatile enough to suit men and women. So here are ten of our favourite Mother’s Day gifts for 2018 below…

We’re also offering a $20 DISCOUNT on all orders from now until midnight, Sunday 13/5/18.  
Use Discount Code MUM in the Discount Code field when you place your order. 

This offer can’t be used in conjunction with other offers, or redeemed for cash. But please feel free to share with family and friends:)

Sow n Sow Seeds
1. Sow n Sow Seeds $9.95 each or 2 for $15
Choose from a variety of traditional favourites and Australia Natives, such as: Trio or Herbs, Forget-me-not, Enchanted Garden, Kangaroo Paw, Wattle, Wisteria, Billy Buttons, and Everlasting Daisy. 
2. Go Comb $19.95
As the name suggests, this comb is small-but-mighty and an essential for every purse or wallet. 
Kobo Seeds Candles
3. Kobo Seeds Candle $44.95
Available in delicious aromas including: Catalan Calendula, Siam Poppy, Sommerset Thyme and Wild Tomato. No relaxing bath would be complete without one of these! 
4. Sprout Women’s Gardening Gloves $22.95
The high-quality, comfortable Lycra and goatskin fabric of these gloves will protect delicate hands from spiky plants and other elements in the garden…and they look pretty too!
5. Rob Ryan Glasses (pair) $24.95
Mums will love the sweet, delicate design of Rob Ryan’s whimsical papercut work printmaking style. Also available in a matching jug.  
Shower cap
6. Shower Cap $29.95
Mum will look her best, even when she’s in the shower with this cool shower cap. 
Suck UK Colour Changing Umbrella
7. Suck UK Colour-Changing Umbrella $69.95
Brighten mum’s day on the dreariest of rainy days with this fun colour-changing umbrella.  
Eva Solo Mini Bird Feeders
8. Eva Solo Mini Bird Feeders (pair) $79.95
Animal-loving mums will love encouraging the birds into their garden this this beautiful pair of bird feeders. 
Leff Amsterdam Scope Clock
9. Leff Amsterdam Scope Wall Clock $269.95
A stylish clock is an essential for every home, and mum will love this contemporary clock from Leff Amsterdam. Also available in white. 
Fitkick Folding Cap
10. Fitkick Folding Cap $24.95
Mum will never be caught without a cap again thanks to the Fitkick Folding Cap. It folds down to nothing so it can be stashed in a handbag, pocket or suitcase. Everyone needs one of these! Also available in black.

Marvelous Mother’s Day Gifts

Marvelous Mother's Day gifts
Gifts to say ‘thanks Mum’…

I recently learnt how to braid my daughter’s hair. My technique is still very much a ‘work in progress’ thanks the the fine, unruly mop she inherited from me, but the whole experience took me back to my childhood when my own mum was learning to braid my hair. I recall wiggling and whining as she implored me to sit still while she practised tirelessly. She mastered this challenging task with perfection, and I now have a new appreciation for the time she invested. It’s these little ‘investments’ our parents make that are often overlooked until we get older and become parents too. This Mother’s Day, spare a thought for the little things (in addition to the big things) that our mothers do.  

Whilst we specialise in quality gifts for men, we try to source special gifts that are versatile enough to suit men and women. So here are ten of our favourite Mother’s Day gifts for 2016 below…

We’re also offering a $10 DISCOUNT on all orders from now until midnight, Wednesday 20/4/16.  
Use Discount Code MUM in the Discount Code field when you place your order. 

This offer can’t be used in conjunction with other offers, or redeemed for cash. But please feel free to share with family and friends:)

Sow n Sow Seeds
1. Sow n Sow Seeds $9.95 each or 2 for $15
Choose from a variety of traditional favourites and Australia Natives, such as: Trio or Herbs, Forget-me-not, Enchanted Garden, Kangaroo Paw, Wattle, Wisteria, Billy Buttons, and Everlasting Daisy. 
Go-comb hair comb
2. Go Comb $14.95
As the name suggests, this comb is small-but-mighty and an essential for every purse or wallet. 
Kobo Seeds Candles
3. Kobo Seeds Candle $44.95
Available in delicious aromas including: Catalan Calendula, Siam Poppy, Sommerset Thyme and Wild Tomato. No relaxing bath would be complete without one of these! 
Burgon and Ball Gardening Gloves
4. Burgon and Ball Gardening Gloves $41.95
The high-quality, comfortable fabric of these gloves will protect delicate hands from spiky plants and other elements in the garden…and they look pretty too!
Suck UK Bottle Light
5. Suck UK Bottle Light $21.95 each or 2 for $40
Now you can turn those empty wine bottles (with interesting labels) into beautiful lights for your table or outdoor entertaining area with these safe and handy USB rechargeable lights. 
Vintage Record Coasters
6. Vintage Record Coasters $29.95
Lovingly made from the labels of original 33lps, these coasters are a unique accessory for the home, with no two sets alike. 
Keep Calm Band Aid Kit
7. Keep Calm Band Aid Kit $11.95 each or 2 for $20
If there was ever a time to “keep calm” it’s when you need a Band Aid. This handy set of plasters are perfect for the kitchen or office draw, or even your handbag. The bright colours are also a great distraction for bumps and scrapes. 
Precision 8-in-1 Screwdriver
8. Precision 8-in-1 Screwdriver $9.95 each or 2 for $16
Every women needs one of these in their handbag. If not in their handbag, then in their desk or kitchen draw. They are only the size of a pen, but have eight different sized heads to cover a variety of jobs.
Karlsson Wall Clock
9. Karlsson Wall Clock $74.95
A stylish clock is an essential for every home, and this Karlsson Floating Stripes clock certainly ticks the ‘timeless style’ box. 
Call Key Key Ring
10. Call Key Key Ring with LED Torch $14.95 each or 2 for $25
No one likes looking for lost keys, especially when they’re already running late! The solution? Simply attach the Call Key Key Ring to your keys. The next time you need to find them just whistle or shout and the built-in sensor will activate a high-pitched beeping noise and flash the LED torch. Such an amazingly useful, thoughtful gift will ensure that Mum loves you the most!

What to write in a Mother’s Day card

What’s the perfect message to write in a Mother’s Day card? Do you go all mushy and sentimental, or do you opt for the light-hearted humorous approach?

Stationer extraordinaire, Kirstin Crothers from Cards and Gift Wrap advises “to avoid the mawkish cards. It’s too easy to dribble into the ridiculous with a gushy sentimental card – then you look insincere. There’s nothing wrong with a simple “Happy Mother’s Day”. But my personal favourite is “Clearly, you are the most perfect Mum ever! How else could I have turned out so wonderful? Happy Mother’s Day, Mum.”


Kirstin has shared some of her other favourite Mother’s Day messages below, which will hopefully give you some inspiration this Mother’s Day…

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.
– Tenneva Jorda


A suburban mother’s role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car for ever after.
– Peter De Vries

Any mother could perform the jobs of several air-traffic controllers with ease.
– Lisa Alther

I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want to move in with them.
– Phyllis Diller

Mothers are fonder than fathers of their children because they are more certain they are their own.
– Aristotle

Mothers of teenagers know why animals eat their young.
It kills you to see them grow up. But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn’t.
– Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams

On Mother’s Day I have written a poem for you. In the interest of poetic economy and truth, I have succeeded in concentrating my deepest feelings and beliefs into two perfectly crafted lines: You’re my mother, I would have no other!
– Forest Houtenschil


Children are a great comfort in your old age – and they help you reach it faster, too.
– Lionel Kauffman


It is never easy being a mother. If it were easy, fathers would do it.
Insanity is hereditary; you get it from your children.
– Sam Levenson


 
Sing out loud in the car even, or especially, if it embarrasses your children.
– Marilyn Penland


Never raise your hand to your kids. It leaves your groin unprotected.
– Red Buttons



Setting a good example for your children takes all the fun out of middle age.
– William Feather, The Business of Life, 1949

 “If evolution really works, how come Mothers only have two hands?”
-Milton Berle


“When I was a boy, my mother wore a mood ring. When she was in a good mood it turned blue. In a bad mood, it left a big red mark on my forehead.”
-Jeff Shaw



“Mother Nature, in her infinite wisdom, has instilled within each of us a powerful biological instinct to reproduce; this is her way of assuring that the human race, come what may, will never have any disposable income.”
-Dave Barry

 If your kids are giving you a headache, follow the directions on the aspirin bottle, especially the part that says ‘keep away from children’
-Susan Savannah

 

Kirstin Crothers from Cards and Gift Wrap

 

About: Kirstin Crothers is a mother of three living in Sydney. In her alleged ‘spare time’ she runs a business selling gorgeous stationery. Check out Kirsten’s beautiful range here.
You can also connect with Kirsten via Facebook.  

Inspiring Mums: Natrice Grosvenor, MiniMoh’s Online Marketplace

There are some super-cool mums out there, achieving some pretty amazing things. Whilst Mother’s Day is a great opportunity for families to recognise the wonderful things that mums do at home and for their families, we thought we’d dedicate some time to recognising some of the personal and professional goals women are achieving. We hope you enjoy our following interview with Natrice Grosvenor – the first in our Inspiring Mums series.

I have first-hand experience of the challenges that new online businesses face when they first launch. Being a ‘small drop’ in the big World Wide Web ‘ocean’ is quite daunting (I think there are around 630 million websites in existence at the moment). Natrice Grosvenor, founder of MiniMoh’s also recognized this challenge, and addressed it by creating her online marketplace for brands retailing products for babies, children and women. This is her story…

1. Tell us your story:

MiniMoh’s is Australia’s Awarded Online Marketplace for babies, children and women. Discover. Connect. Shop. We have some funky, fun, gorgeous and unique products showcased, come and see for yourself, we know you’ll fall in love with something.

2. How did you identify the goals you wanted to achieve?
When I became a mum I needed to find a balance between work and family. The business was born out of a gap in the market and developed from there. The business has allowed me to achieve my most important goal of quality family time. The business has only been live for 6 months and in that time we are constantly surprised with the support from the community we have developed. The business model also supports other self-employed men and women by offering them a risk-free platform to grow their brand and business.

3. How did you work towards achieving your goal – did you have a plan and a deadline to achieve your goals?
I have a marketing background and was very detailed in the research and development process for our business model. We wanted to ensure that we planned appropriately rather than learn expensive mistakes along the way. We had a deadline we wanted to achieve and stuck to it. I think if you don’t put time frames on things, there will always be something that comes up to push your deadline back.


4. What was the biggest challenge you encountered along the way?

Getting our name out there. As a start-up we had very limited funds in our marketing and advertising budget. We spent a lot of time in forums, social media and networking events trying to gain momentum. Constant change in the SEO world is another challenge. The game is constantly moving and changing, we need to keep on top of it and move with the times.

Wooden Cupcake and Icecream Set from redberrykids on MiniMoh’s Online Marketplace

5. What inspires you and keeps you going when you encounter obstacles?

The businesses that we showcase – there are some amazing, talented entrepreneurs around Australia with some very innovative products. We are constantly inspired by the small wins and their appreciation when we help them achieve their goals.

 
6. What advice do you have for anyone wanting to achieve a goal?

Success is not based on luck. Wins take time and a lot of hard work. There is no such thing as instant success. It takes time to build trust, awareness and belief in your business and products. If you make mistakes along the way, learn from them, don’t give up.


 
7. What are the next goals you hope to achieve?

We have just launched a magazine as an extension to the marketplace and look forward to inspiring other businesses to join our community. I have been nominated as a finalist in the ‘Practical Parenting’ Mumpreneur and hope to win this – drawn September 2013. We also hope to start a sponsorship program to help kick-start a small business entrepreneur and give them the leadership and mentoring to become a success.

Check out MiniMoh’s Online Marketplace: www.minimohs.com.au or catch up with them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/minimohs

Top 10 Mother’s Day Gifts

Gorgeous gifts for marvelous mums this Mother’s Day

A Mother’s love is like a garden,
Her children are the seeds,
And as they grow, she tends to them,
Fulfilling all their needs.
Wherever there is beauty, a Mother’s love is there.
2013 is my first Mother’s Day as a mum. Being the considerate mum (and wife) that I am, I’ve made a list of gifts that I wouldn’t object to waking up to on Mother’s Day. If the mum in your life isn’t quite as “forthcoming” as me when it comes to gift ideas, we’ve put together a list of some of our favourties. Whilst our tag line is “Quality Gifts for Men”, there’s always a few gift ideas that are so good it’d be a shame to keep them from the girls!

PS: All orders received before Mother’s Day will receive a $20 Gift Voucher for your next order – so you can treat yourself as well!
Feel free to forward this offer onto your family and friends. 

1. Kobo Seeds Candle, Sweet Sunflower (with Sunflower seeds) $44.95

The gift that keeps on giving: Kobo Seeds Candles are packaged in a box that is infused with seeds that will grow the plant the candle fragrance represents.
This warm-scented Sunflower candle presents elegant floral aromas of pink jasmine, cyclamen and lily. The overall fragrance is beautifully balanced with fresh top notes of lemon, melon and crisp apple, as well as deeper additions of rich cedarwood and sensual white musk.

Check out the Kobo range…

2. Luggage Tag – Did Somebody Say Upgrade?

Because every girl likes an upgrade (hint, hint guys!)

3. Secateurs $39.95

A beautiful pair of traditional-style secateurs with an ash handle and stainless steel blades.

Check out our other garden gift ideas…

4. The Little Veggie Patch Co Book: How to Grow Food in Small Spaces

Down-to-earth gardening tips and advice that makes sense – this book is an essential for every garden’s bookshelf.

Check out our other garden gift ideas…

5. Eggling, Wild Strawberry $24.95

This little Eggling will brighten any kitchen windowsill – a quirky gift that mums will love. 

Check out our other garden gift ideas…

6.Cable Knit Heat Pillow $32.95
Pamper mum with this luxurious heat pillow – perfect for snuggling with in front of TV this winter!

Check out our other Hotties and heat packs…

This unique set of glasses consists of four different coloured glasses, so everyone can remember which glass is theirs.
Check out our other BottleHood glasses… 

8. Vintage Record Coasters $29.95

This unique set of coasters is made from original 33lps – a beautiful gift for a music-loving mum. 

Check out our other gifts for the home…

9. Vintage Dictionary Print – Keep Calm and Drink Wine (framed) $24.95

US Print Designer, Kerrie Lightfoot has handcrafted each of these prints from the pages of vintage dictionaries. Each one is 100% unique and like no other. 
Check out the our other gifts for the home…

10. The Runner’s World Big Book of Marathon and Half-Marathon Training $39.95

The perfect gift for motivated mums on-the-go.
Check out our other books…
Warm wishes for a wonderful Mother’s Day 2013,
from Courtney and the Mr Gift Team